


Getting Rid of Temptation

by coprime



Category: The Orville (TV)
Genre: F/M, Getting Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-18
Updated: 2017-12-18
Packaged: 2019-02-16 09:05:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,704
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13050873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coprime/pseuds/coprime
Summary: "Alara?" Captain Mercer asked. "Everything all right?""Just fine, sir," Alara squeaked as her cheeks reddened. Being mistaken for a couple because your captain was the only person attending the Shindig with a single person for security instead of a team was embarrassing, but it was so much worse when you maybe possible had the smallest, tiniest crush on said captain.





	Getting Rid of Temptation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [days4daisy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/days4daisy/gifts).



Alara touched the panel to open the door to the guest suite she and Captain Mercer would be staying in while Captain Mercer represented the Planetary Union at the Pirate Cabal's Semi-Annual Shindig. The Pirate Cabal and the Union were neighbors in space who coexisted peacefully through a general policy of mutual shunning—the Cabal stayed in their space lane, thieving and raiding and double-dealing amongst each other, and the Union stayed in their much more lawful and well-organized lane. It suited both groups fine, but whenever the Pirate Cabal heads all got together, the Union sent one captain to keep an eye on things, just in case.

The door whooshed open, and Alara froze as she took in what was very obviously the station's honeymoon suite. A round bed—big enough for her and the captain and a couple of friends—dominated the room. There was a low dresser along the wall, and in the corner sat a small glass table with a pair of chairs and a bouquet of artificial pink flowers atop it. There were two doors next to each other along the nearest wall, one to the bathroom and one presumably to the closet. The door to the en-suite bathroom was ajar, and Alara could just make out the side of a tub that she judged to be only marginally smaller than the bed. Pink petals were strewn in a trail leading to the bed.

"Alara?" Captain Mercer asked. "Everything all right?"

"Just fine, sir," Alara squeaked as her cheeks reddened. Being mistaken for a couple because your captain was the only person attending the Shindig with a single person for security instead of a team was embarrassing, but it was so much worse when you maybe possible had the smallest, tiniest crush on said captain. Alara straightened and tried to will her blush down as she continued. "The stationmaster seems to have, ah, mistaken our relationship to each other."

Alara stepped to the side to allow Captain Mercer to also see in. He didn't react except to raise a single eyebrow, and Alara was envious of his ability to stay so poised.

"Yes, they do seem to have." He leaned around Alara to tap the comm button on the panel next to the door. "Captain Mercer of the Planetary Union here. There's been a mix-up with our quarters for the Shindig. We need somewhere with two beds, preferably two separate bedrooms."

"One moment please," the station computer replied in a smooth tone designed to be pleasantly vapid. "I'm sorry, but these are the quarters that you reserved when you confirmed your attendance."

"I requested the couples' suite?" Captain Mercer asked incredulously.

"Yes, the system shows the confirmation was made for the quarters designed for two, colloquially known as the honeymoon suite."

"Okay, but I didn't realize that's what it was. Can we please change to a different room with two beds?"

"I'm sorry. All other quarters are already reserved."

"So there's nowhere else we can stay?"

"That is correct. I'm sorry, there are no other quarters available for you on this station. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"You keep saying, 'I'm sorry,' but refusing to do anything to actually resolve our issue."

"I'm sorry for that, however seeing as how you have the room you requested in your confirmation, there is nothing else I can do for you. Have a nice day."

Captain Mercer scrubbed his hands over his face as he sighed. "No offense to Isaac, but sometimes I really hate dealing with artificial life-forms."

"Maybe it won't be so bad, sir?" Alara piped up. "The bed's pretty big. We should be able to share without being crowding each other easily. Besides, this arrangement is safer from a security standpoint anyway."

"In that case, be my guest," Captain Mercer said, sweeping his arm to the side for Alara to enter first. His lips quirked upwards into a sardonic smile that Alara refused to stare at as she stepped through the doorway.

Alara pulled out her scanner and set it on the table to do its thing while she physically inspected the room. Under the bed were a number of...objects that she didn't want to think of in conjunction with Captain Mercer while in the same room as him but nothing that concerned her from a security standpoint. She moved on to the closet, which was thankfully not nearly as interesting, and then the bathroom. The bathtub was just as big as Alara had feared, but there was a standard shower tucked in the corner. A dozen small bottles lined the edge of the tub, and Alara dutifully picked each one up to inspect what it was. Nothing that would prove dangerous to either of them, and several that looked like they could be quite fun—

Nope. She was not going there. She was a professional here to do her job professionally for Captain Mercer with whom she had a professional relationship. It was just the room that was getting to her. 

When she exited the bathroom, she saw that Captain Mercer had gathered up the petals and dumped them in the waste receptacle near the dresser and was now seated at the table. Was that a faint bit of redness Alara spotted on the captain's face? Maybe he had also looked— No, surely she was imagining things.

"Alara," he said as he jumped up. "Everything is, uh, secure? From a security standpoint, I mean?"

Alara settled into parade rest as she gave her report. "Yes, sir. The room is secure; there are no listening devices or cameras or any unknown devices. The room does come equipped with several items designed to encourage its primary purpose, mostly stored under the bed, so I would advise avoiding examining under there."

Captain Mercer muttered something under his breath.

"Sir? I didn't quite catch that. Could you repeat it?"

"It was nothing, Alara. Do you think you could call me Ed? Just for this mission and then we'll be back to proper protocol, but I feel weird sleeping with someone who calls me 'sir.'"

Alara's eyes widened.

Captain Mercer— Ed waved his hands at her. "Regular, plain ol' sleeping. I wasn't implying anything else. I wouldn't—" He cut himself off.

Right. Alara was the one reading into things. The captain— Ed— He wouldn't sleep with his subordinate like that.

"I wasn't thinking anything of the sort...Ed. But, oh, look at the time. The reception will begin soon, so I'm just going to go get changed." Alara snatched up her travel case and retreated into the bathroom before things got even more awkward.

* * *

If Ed had to rank the various dignitary functions he'd attended at the Union's request, the Pirate Cabal's Semi-Annual Shindig's Reception Dinner would definitely be in the bottom five. Not the worst, because that honor still went to the meeting with the Delobrian ambassador and his entourage, who would literally only speak in riddles and who'd made him feel like an especially dense schoolchild trying to converse with them. Sure, the Shindig's food was delicious—probably the best he'd ever had at one of these things. And the alcohol was flowing freely—not that he could partake like he wanted, but getting to try some rare Cricirt bourbon was a treat. The music was a cacophonous mess, clashing against itself in every way possible as frequently as possible, but that fit with how colorful a group the pirates were. And he would normally find their many differences fascinating, but their colorfulness, helped along by the readily available alcohol, was precisely what was making this entire evening so excruciating.

Because if one more person came up to him and remarked on Lieutenant Alara or her dress or what the two of them were going to do tonight or which potted plant afforded the most privacy if they couldn't wait for tonight, then Ed—

Ed wasn't sure what he'd do, but he'd have to do _something_ because with every comment Alara got stiffer next to him. She was too uncomfortable to meet his eyes anymore, not that it was stopping her from doing her job, scanning the room and placing herself between him and the more volatile pirates. Which honestly was fanning the flames of the pirates' imaginations.

He did have to admit that Alara looked gorgeous. Her dress was as red as her lips, made of smooth satin with a halter neckline that showed off her muscular shoulders and arms and a slit up her right leg that went higher than Ed would have liked for his imagination's sake. The energy weapon strapped to her thigh only added to the appeal, in Ed's opinion. He'd always been attracted to strong women, whether that strength was physical or through the sheer force of their personality. Alara had the physical strength down, and her personality shone the more comfortable she'd gotten in her role onboard. It was a potent combination, and anyone intimidated by the woman she'd become was missing out in Ed's opinion.

In contrast, Ed felt downright dowdy next to her in his black sweater and slacks, even though Kelly had always said he looked fetching in this particular outfit.

Right now, the female captain in front of him was leaning over to show off her...voluminous assets to them.

"I could help show her a thing or two for you, if you'd like. Your partner still looks so very untried," she said and gave Ed a wink. She reached up to run her fingers along Alara's arm, but Alara had her in a shoulder lock before she could touch Alara.

"Back off," Alara growled.

The captain's entourage shifted in preparation of retaliation, but she pouted playfully. "Is that a no then? But we'd have so much fun."

Right. He'd said he would do something, and something he would do. He jumped on the first excuse that came to his mind to get them away.

"Hey, I love this song. We should take a spin around the dance floor." Ed held his hand out to Alara.

Alara released the captain to take his hand, and Ed led them over to the dance floor. He realized that it not been his smartest idea to ask Alara for a dance when he tried to figure out the best place for his hands. Too low and it would be inappropriate; too high and he'd have his hand on her bare skin, something he'd been wanting to do all night and something he shouldn't do when she wasn't interested.

He settled for holding one hand and having the other settle as high as it could while still only touching fabric. Alara followed his lead well, better than many of the people he'd danced with over the years.

"Is this really your favorite song?" Alara asked after a lap around the floor.

"No, oh lord no. I think all of the music they've played tonight has been godawful, and this might be the worst of the lot."

Alara sighed in relief. "Good, I was worried there. You normally have much better taste than this."

Ed twirled her in response.

"My tastes are impeccable, I'll have you know, and anyone who says differently is just jealous I turned them down."

Alara laughed. "So do you have to turn me down now since I was thinking differently?"

"Ah, but now you know I don't like this song, so I have no reason to do that."

Ed realized how flirtatious he was being, and a second later Alara did as well. She stepped back, stammering apologies and staring at her feet. Ed grabbed a glass of something orange and bubbly just to have something to do with his hands. His attention was focused on Alara and how he could get back to their usual rapport, which was why it came as such a surprise to both of them when someone shouted, " _You!_ and pain exploded along the side of his face. 

He watched from the floor as Alara shouted, "Ed!" and punched the man who'd punched him into the wall that was twenty feet behind them. In better circumstances, Ed would very much have appreciated the display from Alara he'd just witnessed. He thought the man looked vaguely familiar but before he could puzzle out why, Alara's concerned face filled his vision.

"Are you okay?" Alara asked as she helped him sit up.

"Yeah, I think so." Ed clutched the arm that he'd fallen on, and his hand came away red when he let go. "The glass from my drink seems to have cushioned my fall." He worked his jaw back and forth. "At least nothing seems to be broken," he concluded.

Alara supported Ed as he got to his feet.

"We should go back to our room. I brought a small medical kit with me that should be able to take care of everything," Alara said.

* * *

Picking glass shards out of Ed's forearm was not how Alara had fantasized about getting Ed to sit on a bed without a shirt for her.

Ed hissed as she drew out a particularly embedded sliver.

"Sorry, sir," she apologized. "These have to be removed before I can use the dermal regenerator, and I didn't bring a medical tractor beam to do this the easy way."

"Alara, you're doing great. I know I'm not always a particularly...graceful patient."

Alara felt herself blush at the praise and glanced up at Ed's face through her eyelashes.

Ed smiled gently at her. "Thank you for doing this, really."

The bruise already forming on his jaw did not detract from his looks one iota, in Alara's opinion. She hastily drew her focus back to her work, and Ed stayed quiet while she worked. Alara could feel him watching her, but she didn't dare look up again for fear of what he'd read in her face. She'd already been way too forward once tonight. And even if Ed was kind enough to forgive her for letting him get injured, she didn't want to make a further fool of herself.

Once the medical scanner indicated there weren't any more glass pieces left in Ed's arm, Alara grabbed the dermal regenerator and closed the wounds. She debated bringing up to his bruised face, but that would be a lot more intimate. Ed could take care of that himself.

She packed the regenerator away, but before she could retreat to the opposite side of the bed, Ed called her name softly.

"Yes?" she asked, swallowing the "sir" she still wanted to tack onto the end of her reply.

"I'm sorry that my attraction to you has made you uncomfortable, but you know I would never do anything you didn't want, right?"

Alara's brain crashed and tried to reboot itself as she tried to comprehend what Ed was saying. "You're attracted to me?" she squeaked.

"Yes, I thought it was obvious?"

Alara bit her lip and leaned forward. What if she'd been reading things all wrong this entire mission? "Attracted to me how?" she asked. This was the moment of truth. She took a steadying breath and plowed on. "Like, specifically, how am I attractive to you?"

"My god, I could count the ways. I've wanted to see how far up your legs my hands could get with that dress since you walked out in it, for starters. But I would never—"

"Would never what? Fraternize with someone under your chain of command?"

"Alara, what? No—" Ed sighed heavily. "I would never because you're an attractive, intelligent young woman with her whole career ahead of her and I'm a middle-aged divorcé who's only just started getting his life back on track."

Alara leaned forward, leaving just a fraction of space between her lips and Ed's. "In that case, I think you should know that the reason I've been so uncomfortable all night is because I had to thoroughly search beneath this bed and found all sorts of toys that I can't stop imagining using on you."

She left it to Ed to decide what to do now that she'd made her position clear.

She didn't have to wait long before he closed the gap.

**Author's Note:**

> "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it." —Oscar Wilde, _The Picture of Dorian Gray_


End file.
